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I’d gone out to the swamp every half hour to see if Alexander arrived—and even spent a good two hours sitting out there waiting—but he never showed up. And that had nothing to do with the daytime. Spirits were as active during the daylight hours as they were at night and I preferred seeing them in the afternoon sun. It made things much less spooky.
Gretchen had figured, as did I, Alexander needed time to recoup, and we both figured by nightfall he’d arrive again. Which was why I now stood at the edge of the stinky swamp again, waiting for that damn orb to show itself.
The night was warm and a breeze fluttered through the air, rustling my hair. I tucked it behind my ears, keeping the horribly crunchy strands away from my face. My headache had lessened some, but still created a slight ache in my temple and I rubbed at the mild throb. “Is he ever going to show up?”
“I don’t know.” Gretchen settled on the ground, sitting cross-legged and using her flashlight to scan the swamp. The beam spread over the tall plants and lit up the dark, murky water.
I joined her and the grass was slightly damp, but it beat standing around. My exhausted body still hadn’t recuperated completely. Perhaps after dealing with the Hannah Reid case, the demon, going into the Netherworld, and now this, my body had enough. But my heart and head ran the show now. “Do you think Zach and the others will discover anything incriminating about anyone?”
Angling my flashlight toward Gretchen, I saw her shrug. “Possibly, but even with that information, I’m not sure how it will help us. Knowing someone is a criminal isn’t proof they murdered Alexander.”
“True.” I sighed, turning my light toward a croaking bullfrog sitting atop a lily pad, which paid no attention to me. “But, at least it’ll give us an idea who to focus on. I can’t imagine anyone going from no criminal record to murder.”
She snorted softly. “Anyone has the capability to murder if put in the situation where they have no choice.”
Wasn’t that true enough? I never thought I’d kill someone, and still didn’t know how I felt that I took Brody’s life during the Hannah Reid case, except to know that if I hadn’t, I would’ve been dead myself. That’s where I left it.
Do or die.
I nearly confirmed her right, but goose bumps swept over my skin, then I spotted something at the edge of the swamp taking my already unstable mood and sending it spiraling downward. “Didn’t I tell you to stay away,” I spat at the two ghosts.
“Oh, they’re back again,” Gretchen mused.
I didn’t find anything about this laughable. I’d been doing nothing all damn day and now they had come to pester me. I swore it was built into their ghostly bodies to annoy Tess at all inappropriate times until she agreed to help.
The older gentleman, who now I suspected was part of the Glasgow family, approached Gretchen and me, with the younger ghost in tow. His dark eyes were full of suspicion, crinkling and creating more wrinkles at the corners. “We have noticed that Victoria is missing.”
His crankiness made no sense. “Err...that would be because she asked me to save her and I did.”
He skipped a stepped, coming to a direct halt, a frown marring his aged face. “She’s crossed over?”
Why was he looking at me as if I’d done something wrong? And lowering his tone as if chastising me? “Ah, yeah, it was really kinda sweet—”
He closed the distance between us and folded his arms. “Don’t even think about doing that to me. I don’t want to leave. Got it?”
I gawked at him for a few seconds, unable to do anything else before I said, “Do you honestly think I have a problem with the idea of not helping you when I’ve done nothing but asked you to stay away from me?”
His eyes narrowed “I’m making myself perfectly clear. I’m happy in this state and I don’t want you interfering.”
“I have no intention of doing anything to you,” I said through clenched teeth. I nearly sent him away, but I quickly reminded myself of a mistake I’d made last night. “Before you go, tell me, did you know Nettie Glasgow?”
He shook his head, even if his gaze remained cautious. “No, I’m not part of the Glasgow family. I live in a house that way.” He pointed to the far side of the swamp. “But come around here because of the others that stay at the house.”
Which included the ghost standing by the edge of the swamp being entirely silent near the cotton grass. I liked Sammy. When this mess was over and Kipp was saved, I’d do my best to help that ghost, because he actually listened to what I said. “Well, good. You won’t be a problem then and you won’t mind me saying go away.”
Like a snap to my fingers, they winked out of existence and I stared at the grass where they had stood. “Can you believe that he seriously just gave me hell for helping Victoria?”
“That’s funny.” Gretchen snickered.
“No, it really isn’t.” The breeze swept over my skin, making me shiver and warming the coldness away from me the ghosts had caused.
She regarded me with a tilt of her head, the flashlight below lighting up her chin. “What did the other ghost want?” At my shrug, since I didn’t give two craps about asking Sammy, she added, “You know, you could find out.”
“Hell, no; that will mean being sucked into another guilt trip.” I firmed my voice, especially considering it had happened with Victoria. Sad stories were always my weakness. “I have enough guilt and trouble on my hands. He’s going to have to wait in the line of ghosts needing to be saved.”
“You’re right; he can wait,” she agreed.
Before I could say anything more on the subject, a flash of light caught my eye and once again, goose bumps rose on my skin. Perhaps now, after going into the Netherworld, the sensation was more obvious than ever, because it seemed colder and sharper. I glanced to the side, noticing the orb again. “Oh, Alexander’s coming.”
